


Unintended

by Witchcraftandwine



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Animated Series
Genre: BTAS - Freeform, Batman the animated series - Freeform, It's joker it gets bad, Joker has a really fucked up idea, Near Death, No seriously be ready, Other, Recovery, joker is evil, mentions of cannibalism, nongendered reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:54:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25850902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Witchcraftandwine/pseuds/Witchcraftandwine
Summary: The anniversary is a hard day but you do your best for him through it right up until Joker cuts in to take more from a man with so little left to give.
Relationships: Batman/Reader, Bruce Wayne/Reader
Kudos: 42





	Unintended

Oh you were hurting…

Several things ran through your mind as you slowly came to, first and foremost was… Yeeeeaaaah You were in pain. Not excessive debilitating pain, but the kind of steady ache that came from a scuffle. You’d been in a fight… no… actually, as your head cleared you remembered it hadn’t been a fight it had been an ambush. You’d been walking home, right? No you were waiting and walking...

Yeah.

You stopped a moment to take a deep breath and organise your thoughts. Today was hard, it always was but this was the first year you could do anything about it. You had arranged a quiet day for him discretely ensuring no meetings were scheduled and no presentations were planned. He worked hard for the company so you had put effort to make sure today, of all days, he could relax. Of course he still found things to do, that’s just how Bruce was, but you had a feeling it was more to keep his thoughts away from the meaning of the day then anything else. He’d gotten ready to go out for his normal patrol but had paused in front of you before getting in the car. His hands rested on your shoulders, then slid down to your hands holding them the micromesh fabric of his gloves strange against you skin. He’d pressed his forehead against yours, the material of the cowl felt cool against your forehead as the two of you stayed that way for a long, quiet moment. Just before he released your hands you heard him murmur a quietbut sincere thanks. A man of few words normally, the fact that he could say that while he was Batman, meant more than anything else.

You had arranged for Alfred to drive you to the ally needingto be there for him, to show your support. You had brought two roses of your own, not red like his but yellow, you couldn’t rightly say why but you knew it felt important to do so. You had waited for him, not very long, as Alfred had said right on the dot to the time they had been attacked all those years ago he came. Dropping silently from above you thought he seemed surprised to see you but if he did he said nothing. Still you couldn't help explaining your presence somehow, so without a word you held up the yellow roses. His surprise was a lot more evident then. 

You walked with him in silence halfway down the alley way that had changed his life and set your roses down before stepping back letting him do the same. Resting a silent hand on his shoulder before turning to give him his privacy, you hadn't wanted to draw attention so Alfred had brought you in an older model car but still you had sent him along best to keep discreet, you had your wallet so you’d get a cab home if you needed. Or He might offer to take you home after he had time to talk to them.

Everything to That point was all very clear in your mind. 

You had wandered down the block just so you weren’t seen loitering outside the ally and because you wanted him to know you were genuinely giving him space, his moment. You remembered someone, a kind of drunk woman with dark hair staggering towards you with a giggle and smeared lipstick holding the arm of a laughing man… They asked the time, no had they both asked or just her? It got fuzzy there had you even looked at your watch? You couldn’t remember… dark hair had gone blonde and green, 

So much laughter 

Pain 

A smell, sharp and angry in your nose it felt like it drove an icepick into your brain.

It was wrong, all wrong. 

You jolted as the realisation hit you. 

“Aw Mista J~ I think our guest’s awake now~” the sing songy voice of Harley Quinn was grating against your painful headache. Unfortunately your cotton tasting mouth was too dry to complain as you looked up. She was in a skimpy dress, it actually kind of reminded you of something a club waitress or a stage assistant might wear. A purple, corset type vest over a short white dress with puffed sleeves a fuffy skirt, and way to much cleavage.

“AH! Welcome welcome welcome my dear, my darling, my delightful new friend!” The high pitched cackle was worse than Harley's grating voice as Joker slid into view larger than life. Terrified as you were, if anyone asked you later you would have to give him credit, if he wasn’t a psychotic lunatic, he’d have fantastic stage presence. 

Shame.

“Now you’re awake you're probably wondering all the classic questions, ‘Where am I? What do you want? How are you so handsome?’ well, I am more than happy to answer them for you! Harley?” he said gesturing grandly. At first you didn't understand but as she reached over you realized, oh, there was tape on your mouth… OW! The tape was now gone

“FUCK”

Joker laughed wildly at the sharp reaction as you rotated your jaw, your skin stinging from the impromptu ‘waxing’ you’d gotten from the tape. Harley danced her way to Jokers said leaning against his shoulder and giggling delightedly as he regained his ‘composure’ and looked at you expectantly, you stared back, cool, calm, collected. You needed to stay calm and relaxed, you needed to… Bullshit the best you possibly could because God you were scared! It was so easy to see the terrible things this monster had done and think, 'I could face him, I wouldn’t be afraid of him.' It was another thing entirely to be in his clutches, to know no matter what you wouldn’t be getting out of this unscathed even if Batman did find you.

“Sooo?~” Joker leaned forward lifting his hand with a flourish and setting it behind his ear eyelids fluttering as he leaned as if waiting to be told a great secret.

“Sooo what? I’m obviously in some sort of hideaway. Solid brick, high windows, open space, likely a factory or packing plant, judging by the conveyor belt layout. For production lines not movement or loading. You clearly brought me here after applying some sort of heavy duty drug which has caused a lingering headache and lethargy, and you probably want to do me some harm in order to once more cause emotional pain to Batman. You clearly figured out he doesn't really care about his own physical body, because he’s kind of stupid like that, and I mean really you're not the only one who gets annoyed by his refusal to take care of himself.” you said trying to maintain a flat tone as you explained what you saw and felt. 

You wished you were smarter, someone who could play him, someone who knew about his issues and how to turn them to your advantage. Hell even just smart enough not to have gotten caught in the first place! But you weren't any of those things so you had to figure it out on the fly.

Drag it out, keep him off balance that was key here, but don’t get superior, never act better than him… right? Crap, you weren’t a damn psychiatrist! You were running on things you had heard Bruce talk about and your own personal look into mental health while looking up your own issues. You were pretty sure he had an ego thing going, Harley fed into it and had made him a lot less murdery apparently, but he was still a violent man with very deadly tendencies. 

And he was frowning… 

“So, why not set the cliches aside I mean you must get tired of them right?” you said a little faster then you meant to, betraying your terror at his displeased expression. Was that wrong eas you're rattling just going to get you killed faster?

“Ha! You know what you’re right, it is old hat isn’t it Harley dear?” he said, suddenly bursting into a bright smile. The blond woman nodded stepping back and you noticed she managed to avoid his sweeping arm smacking her with the careful movement… right, He wasn’t good to her either, he might kill less with her there to feed his ego or whatever but he took a lot of that violence out on her didn’t he? 

Bastard.

“You’re so right puddin!” she cooed fawningly but her eyes? Oh, she was watching him, just like you where though she was a lot more relaxed. She’d gotten used to it, dealing with his erratic behaviour and wild mood swings. It was second nature to her now to avoid those swinging gestures and gauging his moods.

“I do admire people who can get to the point! Unfortunately things aren’t quite ready for you yet so Since I’m in a good mood why don’t you ask me something? Anything at all! Make it amusing…” he said, his voice getting dark as he commanded you to speak, you couldn't rely on silence to not upset him. You took a breath. What could you ask? How could you do this, was there anything you could learn? Probably not… so

“Can you make me laugh?” you asked simply. Now this seemed to really knock him off track, Harley was staring at you, her expression fractured like she wasn’t sure what to do and Joker had gone shock still as he stared at you.

“What do you mean?” he asked finally, was his curiosity piqued? maybe. You weren't able to tell but you decided to run with it, just keep going. You smiled faintly.

“Well, look, you're the clown prince of crime right? You have a reputation for being the funniest man alive, probably the funniest being alive because you're not tied by whatever it is that makes most people such sticklers, right?” you said carefully in more of a ‘You had read this somewhere kind of way’, not a fawning way. Curiously despite this non flattery Joker preened a bit

“Well absolutely. It’s the rare few who can see past all these ridiculous window dressings we call society, and even fewer who can see past it and still live and not descend into a babbling incoherent mess!... But what's your point?” he asked scowling slightly as he returned his gaze to you.

“Just what I said, I want to know if you can make me laugh, without that gas.” You clarified hurriedly Joker arched a brow, was he losing patience? You plowed on not ready to give up

“I have this condition, it’s a mental health thing I’m autistic, well Asperger's. It’s diet Autism, different ingredients, same shitty taste?” you managed, a snort filled the air and both you and the mad clown looked to Harley who seemed almost horrified by the noise she’d made before Joker cracked into a wide smile, laughing raucously.

“HA! Look at that, you made her laugh! Aw Harlee my dearest, sweetest, darling don't look so down! You know I’d never get mad at you for enjoying a truly funny joke!” he said, sweeping an arm around her and dragging her close, pinching her cheek. Pretty hard by the look of it but she managed a smile

“It was kinda funny p-puddin…” she managed giggleing a little stronger as he laughed seeming more comfortable now she knew she wasn't going to get hit.

“Not often I get a guest with a sense of humor. This really was my best idea yet! Now why don’t you explain to me more about this, diet brain, of yours?” he said releasing Harley, and pushing her aside. Had he meant to shove her so hard, or was he just so crazy he didn’t know his own strength? You weren’t sure but the cute heels she wore caught in the holes of the rubber mat on the floor and she fell in a heap staying there a moment, probably relieved it hadn’t been worse.

“Oh well, it causes all sorts of problems, anxiety, sensory sensitivity, social ineptitude. You can have hyper fixations, you know a lot about what interests you, but not surrounding details of that fixation. Unfortunately things like empathy are a problem, you can feel to strongly or not enough for people, you can’t gauge situations or people well, for me reading social cues is a pain in the ass." You explained it was like when you'd explained it to Bruce he deserved to know what he was getting into with you. Joker was interested, too interested as he leaned close.

"I just don’t get them and well, because of that I don’t really get a lot of jokes, I have a hard time understanding humor. I can't tell when people are being sarcastic or teasing because I think in a very literal way.” you finished your words growing more hurried the closer he got. He was seemingly fascinated by the idea if the manic gleam in his eyes was anything to go by,

“That is just terrible. You don’t understand humor?! Well now I can understand why you’d ask me to make you laugh despite the situation you're in… I suppose we have some time…” he murmured to himself as he glanced at his arm pushing up his sleeve to reveal about seven different watches all of which seemed to have different times.

“BUT! If we’re going to do this, I’ll do it properly. A person's first laugh is a treasure usually only parents get, hahahaha, HARLEY! Get our guest comfortable while I prepare for a life changing show!” he declared. Harley scrambled up and saluted grinning ear to ear.

“Yes siree Puddin!” she said pulling something, a rag, from her dress. Where was she keeping it?! She jammed the aweful smelling thing against your face and though you tried to hold your breath it didn't do you any good. As black overtook your vision all you could think was

Not again…

* * *

You woke with another headache. This one was sharper than before the throbbing so deep you could feel the blood pulsing in your teeth with each heart beat. It was so strong that, even though the lights in the room were pointed at a stage decorated with heavy red velvet curtains, they still hurt your eyes. You flinched at the sound of a trumpeting fanfare before seeing Harley step out from behind the curtains in a flashier dress this time in the same red and black design of the suit she wore most of the time.

"For our esteemed guest! Allow me to present, The funniest man on earth, Clown prince of crime, a man after my own heart, The Joker!” She declared stepping aside arms wide in display as the curtains parted to reveal the clown in all his glory. You might have even been impressed on some level, if your head wasn’t splitting from the second dose of, who only knows what kind of chemical after so many hours… Uggg.

Because of your less than lucid state and the aching pounding in your head you barely even registered the first few jokes he told, let alone had any chance to process if they were actually funny or not. He must have realised you weren’t fully awake though as to your shock a cold bucket of water was dumped over you by a couple goons on either side of you. Cold, wet, and now very awake with your pounding headache you looked up at the stage brows knitted as Joker laughed. You had to remember, don’t say anything, don’t antagonise the killer clown.

Harley stepped onto the stage and whispered something to the man who gave a gleeful laugh hopping from one foot to the other as he clapped in utter delight.

“Fantastic! It’s here. You see I had an absolutely perfect idea! The darn thing about having a relationship is that it’s so easily broken up, so easily parted… so tragic!” he declared Harley giving a fake weeping as you were hauled off the chair arms and legs bound as you were dragged onto the stag as some big metal… tube? Was wheeled onto the stage, what the hell?

“Those kinds of things can be so sad, and a sad bat isn’t a very fun bat is it? So I thought the best way to make sure you two are together forever…” he grinned manically as the cylinder was opened, inside where black coils that reminded you of…

A toaster…

You thrashed frantically against the goons but they were too powerful lifting your arms above your head, your tied wrists were cuffed to a bar that ran along the top while your ankles were secured to in cuffs attached to a bar at the bottom leaving you stretched out.

“All that water on your clothing should give you a nice broil! Isn’t that handy? Then you and Batsy can be together forever, Aren’t you thrilled? I bet some of the meat on those bones will really build his muscles… imagine his face. Just picture it when he finds out what I made him eat to Save his precious city? His ‘people?’ Do you think he’ll crack? Ooohh wouldn’t that be wonderfullllAHAHAHA!” his words devolved into a wordless hollering laughter as the heavy metal door slammed shut there was a click and a hum, this couldn’t be real right? This was some sick joke… right? 

As the black coils slowly started to go red and heat began to build you knew it wasn’t you thought you might puke but the air in the cylinder was to think you needed all you had to just get air in your lungs, sweat beading on your flesh the water getting hot on your skin. What was worse you could imagine his face. You thought about how he’d be devastated, guilty. Horrified… He hadn’t saved you, he was going to be served Steak Ala Lover… and you’d never gotten a chance to say you loved him one last time. 

Would he make it? You wanted to have faith in him, you wanted to believe he would, but Joker seemed to think he’d have time to do all this and make a… a meal… and arrange a city wide threat and… god it was so hard to breath, so hot. The metal on your wrists and ankles was stinging searing flesh, please, please anyone, whoever looked out, who ever tried their best to make good win most of the time. Whatever deity or power that controlled these kinds of things please. At least let him get here before Joker made you into a snack, at least spare Bruce the horror of knowing he’d consumed you.

Your head was hurting more, was it the heat or the chemicals they dosed you with? You were blinking more trying to keep your eyes from drying out as you panted fighting for air that just felt so hot in your throat, please…

You thought you heard a sound… or maybe it was the blood pounding in your ears. You closed your eyes against the red glow, trying to keep them from going dry. You hurt. Your skin prickled. So much pain. Breath, so hard to breath. Nothing was making sense. A sound, metal? Screaming, a thud, where you moving? You couldn’t be sure, hot so hot, you screamed. You knew you screamed because you felt the searing burn of something oh god was that it where you dying? Your throat hurt your body hurt so much pain, please let it end, the red faded, would you go to hell? You saw a bright white light, and the pain and heat 

faded…

Into…

Nothing. . .

* * *

You decided death wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

It was dark, so dark, and everything still hurt, particularly your left hip. It was such a throbbing aching pain you wondered if that was the part Joker must have cut off for Bruce to eat. Death wasn’t terrible though. Sometimes in that black void you felt a warmth. Not a painful warmth but comforting, you swore you heard voices, gentle coaxing voices. Sometimes you slipped into something deeper darker, and it was like sleeping you were never sure how long the deeper times lasted.

Your skin was so painful, your head was so unfocused, why wouldn’t it just stop? You whimpered, the sound weak in your throat, wait you had… a threat? You could make sound here? You felt that warmth no it wasn’t just warmth you could feel a … a hand… holding yours.

‘-ere? Can you hear me? I’m right here, doctors are coming, Come on, just hold on, stay with me!” the voice sounds wrong, harried, panicked, afraid. 

_No… don’t be afraid… you're so strong, you are… invincible, don’t worry for me, I’m small, so small…_

You slip into that deep again but strangely you feel more aware when you come out of it this time, groaning testing your throat, it hurts so dry….

“W...water…” you managed, it was a wheeze of sound but you knew you made it, was your voice in your ears. Were you… alive? You felt something press against you lps it was a straw you purse your lips, they felt cracked and painful but water dribbled into your mouth as you sucked as hard as you could (it wasn’t very hard apparently) taking several moments to breathe before drinking the tiniest bit more. It felt like forever before you felt like you had even partially quenched your thirst but you felt better and this time when you slept it wasn’t a deep darkness.

He was still holding your hand when you work again speaking with someone quietly, you squeezed his hand gently our fingers hurt and it was hard to move them they felt, stiff like they hadn't moved in a while, the conversation immediately stopped and you felt him close

“Are you awake? Please be awake, say me you’re awake.” Bruce breathed, his voice was shaking, he’d been that worried about you? You had never really doubted his feelings in your relationship but, he was a man who faced a lot because of who he was, he had seen and lost so much you never thought you would make much impact… not like this...

“Y-You're awake…” you managed after a moment of gathering your strength. The strangled laugh he made was a mix of relief and something else. It was nice to hear, that was real laughter. No high pitched cackling, no simpering giggle, he was here with you, it wasn't some pained hallucination.

“How do you make a joke like that right now?” there was another voice, you knew that voice

“D-dicks here?” you managed, feeling someone take your other hand he squeezed gently, his hands were a little different then Bruces. While Bruce had Solid hands calloused from fights and climbing. Richard Graysons hands were slender and elegant in a way, if he hadn’t become a hero he might have been a pianist or a painter with such hands.

“Of course I am, as soon as I heard what happened I had to come.” he insisted gently you noticed they were both being quiet, it was kind of nice. Your head ached a bit strained by everything that had happened most likely.

“S-sorry for the….. Trouble.” you managed with a weak smile… or at least you thought you smiled. You certainly tried but everything was so tender you honestly couldn’t tell if the skin around your mouth hurt from speaking or smiling.

“As if coming to see you is trouble, Honestly taking care of this guy is the trouble, you’ve been great you even sat and listened to the whole autobiography I’m planning.” Dick said grandly, bringing a coughing chuckle from you.

“Can I have some more water?” you asked, there was a sound before a straw was gently pressed against your lips the bed doping under weight on your left side. Bruce. You sipped, a little stronger this time, more water, it was so refreshing and soothing.

“Easy there, don’t drink too fast or you’ll make yourself sick.” Bruce chided gently, pulling the straw away. You tried to nod but the pan wouldn’t let you.

“Alright.” you said sighing more sleep you just needed more sleep.

* * *

A few weeks passed and you were taken home, a room in Wayne Manor had been fitted with the best equipment and decorated in your favourite colors. Bruce had hired two nurses to give you around the clock care and company so even when he was working you weren’t alone. Though more often than not he did as much work for Wayne enterprises at the desk in the room.

The bandages had come off, it was difficult at first there was burning in places where you hadn’t been dressed but it seemed like Jokers Drenching to keep you Awake had actually saved your life, keeping your body temperature down enough and your skin protected from the heat. Unfortunately the worst affected area was your left side, from mid thigh up your buttock left hip and to mid back was a horrible scar. Apparently when you had been rescued by Batman, One of the goons in an attempt to escape had run right into the cylinder. That was the movement you had felt. With no support for your middle you had fallen right against the heated coil. The power had cut off but the heat in the metal hadn’t dissipated.

Actually it seemed like you had been exceedingly lucky, the worst damage was from the metal cuffs around our wrists and ankles, and for course where you had hit the coil, but you skin whale still damaged would heal with time with minimal scarring over all, you had no inhalation injuries which had been a concern because of the heat inside the tube, even your eyes where ok

Everyone said you were lucky…

You didn’t feel lucky.

Late at night you would cry from pain, from fear. Joker was in Arkham again, so was Harley though according to Bruce she actually seemed really bothered by Joker's plan this time, she had supposedly ‘tipped’ over the cord to power off the machine during the fight. He couldn’t prove it, but he just knew She’d done it on purpose to try and help you.

He wouldn’t look you in the eye though, he smiled. He was sweet, he was attentive, but he barely touched you other than your hand or when you needed to bathe, then he carried you carefully, at your side as much as he could be without being there. 

“Do you want me to go back to the hospital?” you asked one afternoon, the nurses where taking a lunch break since Bruce was home and could watch you the pen clattered to the desk as he looked up at you

“What?!” he asked alarmed as he stood

“No not at all I, do you need to? Are you in pain still stupid question, of course you are but is there more do you think the doctor needs to be here I can call him.” it was weird to see him so… panicked.

“No… No Bruce, stop… I… Do you not want me here? Look at you… you’re a mess…” your throat felt tight and thick with tears, he looked dishevelled and gaunt, was he eating properly?

“I know you still go out as well, I’m not upset but you're pushing yourself here and out there… and this is all my fault. I know I messed up, I’ve caused you all this trouble.” you managed all the doubts that had been plaguing you since you noticed his distance bubbling out with the tears

“I’ll never look the same, even with surgery that scar won’t ever be fully cone, my wrists, my ankles, it’ll take years for my hair to grow back. Now you have to care for me but you don’t even want to touch me, I can see it… I… I… I’m so sorry.” you said sobbing weakly the bed dipped and you sank against his side You gasped as his arms moved carefully around you not putting too much pressure but enough you could feel him all around you.

“That’s not it. You’re still the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t your fault it was mine. If I had told Alfred to stay despite what you told him to do. If I had asked you to stay with me while I said what I needed to say… if I had found you faster…” he trailed

“When I realised what had happened I… I couldn’t handle it. The only reason Joker is even alive… is because you are.” he said softly shaking

“It terrified me. I Came so close after what happened to Jason, I told myself I’d never let anyone get that close again, but you got close, you became real to me. I didn't even realise how real, until He had you. When that door swung open I thought you were dead. I thought ‘There it is, the last reason I have.’” you reached up carefully, hand resting on his forearm, head resting against his chest. It was awkward because he was afraid of hurting your burns but he was relaxing a bit as you settled into him.

“When you screamed I was so angry, You were so hurt, in so much pain, but also so happy because it meant you were alive, I hadn't lost you. I forgot about him… If Dick hadn’t come when he did Joker would be loose because I let myself forget him for you.” he said with a bitter regret in his voice.

“I’ve been feeling so guilty, because of that rage, because I forgot him, because I let you get hurt. And I still don’t want to let you go.” he admitted softly. There was such a vulnerability in his voice. Bruce Wayne a man who had lost parents, friends, lovers, a child. So much, here he held you admitting he couldn’t lose anything else.

“I’ll stay… as long as you let me.” you said finally you still felt so tired and tears slipped quietly down your cheeks but a heavy weight felt lifted from your mind. He wasn’t disgusted by you, he didn’t resent the care you needed right now. Now…

“Bruce, forgot…” you said suddenly it was so important you had to say it. He looked down at you worry on his face, was there something wrong? You knew he would be primed for anything at your word he’d probably go wrestle a bear or something, good thing you didn’t want that.

“I told myself. I swore if I made it, I‘d tell you. Bruce Wayne… I love you. I Love all of you thank you, for letting me be part of your life.” you managed with a sleepy smile. Bruce returned it and kicking off his shoes swung his legs up onto the bed snuggling next you carefully

“Think there's enough room for me to nap with you? The master rooms lonely.” he murmured, smiling gently. He moved to kiss your cheek, his hand gently taking yours fingers lacing as you snuggled as close to him as you could. Recovery would be a long hard road but you knew he’d stay by your side. Whether he had meant to or not Joker had gotten what he claimed he wanted, you and Bruce where always going to be together, you where sure of it, He loved you, and you?

You loved Bruce Wayne, The Batman with all your heart.


End file.
